Dr Ng Siew Weng is active in the field of research, as reflected by the numbers of research papers he published, and the several invitations he received to present at medical conferences in North America, Europe and Asia including Singapore. During his attachment at the Hand Surgery Department in SGH, he received a prestgious Economic Development Board Proof of Concept Grant to investigate the treatment of trigger finger and subsequently invented a novel treatment device which is patented.

Dr Ng has also researched into stem cells and demonstrated that stem cells derived from autologous adipose tissue improved the rate of wound healing. Dr Ng’s research interest in fat stem cells has led him to use it in clinical practice in order to achieve the best cosmetic results.

He uses fat grafting regularly in his surgery to achieve natural cosmetic enhancement such as fat gratfing to breast and fat grafting to face. He had organised a Fat Grafting Workshop at SGH so that local surgeons have the opportunities to learn fat grafting techniques from him and a top Korean surgeon.

During his attachment at the Hand Surgery Department in SGH, he received rigorous microsurgery training which is invaluable for honing his techniques in facial and breast reconstruction .

Our Clinic is a fully equipped, Ministry of Health accredited Ambulatory Surgical Centre as well as state-of-the-art health care facilities. We aim to provide a safe and comfortable environment so that our patients can have their best possible experience when receiving cosmetic surgery in Singapore.

Our main clinic is located at Farrer Park Medical Centre, Connexion – a three-in-one medical tourism friendly complex that comprises of Farrer Park Medical Centre, Farrer Park Hospital and One Farrer Hotel and Spa. A first of its kind in Asia, patients have the option of recovering in the comfort of a 5-star hotel or hospital after surgery. Our team would be glad to arrange concierge service and hotel stay is required. To serve our patients better, we have a branch in Gleneagles Medical Centre.

Having practised the art of plastic surgery for many years, Dr Ng often shares some of his personal philosophies with his patients during consultation. Many of these principles are interrelated.

“There is no shortcut to perfection”

Most patients have high expectations when they plan to undergo cosmetic surgery. They aspire to obtain great results, but all too often unwilling to tolerate the journey to get there. To achieve a harmonious appearance, a combination of procedures may need to be done simultaneously to address various features of the patient.

We often fail to give due recognition to those patients who have the fortitude and courage to undergo multiple procedures to achieve their dream looks. It is similar to extreme hard work to score straight As in studies.

“Less is more, more is less – harmony is most important”

Cosmetic surgery patients do not wish to exhibit any tell-tale sign of surgery. Most patients think that undergoing the least number of surgical procedures would avoid this problem. For example, patients presenting with eyebags often also have ageing upper eyelids. Eyebags removal alone may make the upper eyelid appear out of sync after surgery. Therefore, both upper and lower lids procedures can be planned together – a combination of procedures may produce less tell-tale sign resulting in a more synchronized and harmonious appearance.

“Plastic surgery should not be addictive if well planned”

Based on experience, we frequently observe that a single surgical procedure to one area of the face can potentially cause the neighbouring areas to appear out of sync.

Some patients only focus on correcting the features they are most dissatisfied with; not realizing that any minor changes of a particular feature may affect adjacent features.

After the first surgery, the patient may very soon undergo another surgery to achieve harmony with the surrounding area. This continuous catching up gives the connotation of “surgery addiction”. This can be avoided if several well-planned procedures are carried out at the outset.

A nose job (rhinoplasty) which improves the nose shape, projection and length may emphasize a pre-existing small chin. To achieve a harmonious look, Dr Ng would suggest a procedure to improve the chin projection to match the nose.

However it may not possible at times to adopt a holistic approach because of : (1) patient’s resistance, (2) surgeon’s fear of being labelled as overselling, (3) financial constrain etc.

“Don’t be afraid to change”

Patients very often say “I don’t want any obvious changes.” If the patient’s relatives cannot perceive a difference post surgery, the procedure would not have yielded any result.

The ideal outcome would be : definite changes and improvement noticed by the patient’s relatives ; but a stranger who meets the patient the first time should think that the patient looks great without suspecting any surgery being done.

It is important not to be afraid to undergo a change if it is for the better.

Dr Ng believes that most patients want to retain some semblance of their original appearance. He will strive to enhance what they already have rather than change their identity unless it is their intention.

“Plastic surgery should be carefully considered because it may not be reversible”

We must be aware that surgery result can be permanent and irreversible. It is best to read widely about the intended procedure and speak in detail with a few experts before deciding.

Many people have the false sense of security that simple surgery would not go wrong since they are commonplace. There are many incidences of simple eyelid surgery with undesirable results that are very difficult to correct completely. There is a tendency to trivialise cosmetic surgery. Dr Ng is most worried about the group of patients who refuse to explore details and commit to surgery hastily .

Dr Ng believes in providing sufficient information and management options for the patient to make an informed decision. The patient needs to clearly understand : (1) The nature of their current condition, (2) The whole range of management options : from non-invasive to operative solutions, and (3) The pros and cons of each option.

Most patients find this approach helpful. Dr Ng often reiterates that his role is to provide guidance, highlight to the patient if the choice of treatment is incorrect, but the final decision still lies with the patient.

He normally provide a summary list of best plastic surgery procedures that is suited for the patient. It is difficult to balance between providing detailed information and being mistaken for overselling.

Dr Ng had been active in the training of doctors and residents while he was Visiting Consultant at the Singapore General Hosipital (SGH). He was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. He hopes that training and knowledge sharing would produce the best plastic surgeons in Singapore.

Despite Dr Ng’s hectic schedules, he had volunteered in humanitarian trips to perform free surgeries to correct cleft lip and/or palate, post-traumatic or burns deformities in Laos, Indonesia, China and Uzbekistan.